AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Program Modeled on Emergency Preparedness Plan Features In-Unit Vaccinations and Morning "Lockdown," Increasing Employee Influenza Immunization Rates

Innovation Profile:

Program Modeled on Emergency Preparedness Plan Features In-Unit Vaccinations and Morning "Lockdown," Increasing Employee Influenza Immunization Rates

Snapshot
Summary
Flushing Hospital Medical Center's annual employee influenza vaccination program features a 2-day "push/pull" drill that uses key features of the hospital's emergency preparedness plans. For the push phase, vaccination teams visit units throughout the hospital, providing influenza vaccination education and offering vaccines to employees. For the pull phase, employees must enter the hospital through one entrance where vaccination teams screen employees and again offer them the opportunity to be vaccinated. The program has significantly increased the percentage of employees vaccinated against influenza, which increased from 38 percent in the 2006-2007 influenza season to 56 percent in the 2008-2009 season, and then to 65 percent in 2010-2011.

Evidence Rating
Moderate: The evidence consists of pre- and post-implementation comparisons of influenza vaccination rates among hospital employees.

Developing Organizations
Flushing Hospital Medical Center

Date First Implemented
2008



full-text:
AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Program Modeled on Emergency Preparedness Plan Features In-Unit Vaccinations and Morning "Lockdown," Increasing Employee Influenza Immunization Rates